Rabies Cases Tracked East Of The River, Officials Say

June 26, 1992|By MINDY A. ANTONIO; Courant Staff Writer

Rabies, which is sweeping through the state's wild animal population for the first time since the 1940s, has crossed to east of the Connecticut River and soon will be present in the entire state, health officials said.

A rabid raccoon attacked a dog last week in Scotland, a town east of Willimantic. It is the 499th case of rabies in a raccoon confirmed by the state and the 540th reported case since the first incident in March 1991.

The case marks the "front" of an epizootic -- the term for an epidemic among animals.

"What we're watching is the epizootic move across the state of Connecticut. You will see cases like this out in front of the front," said Dr. Matthew Cartter, epidemiology program coordinator for the state Department of Health Services.

"Next year, all of Connecticut will be affected as this moves through. It is the initial year which has the most dramatic impact on a town," he said.

In towns such as Westport, New Milford and Ridgefield, fewer cases are being reported because the outbreak is reducing the overall raccoon population, he said. "This pattern we're going to see as it moves across the state," Cartter said.

The numbers of reports will increase east of the Connecticut River as the outbreak becomes established, he said.

Rivers have proven to be no major barrier to its spread, Cartter said, as raccoons have crossed New York's Hudson River "in the blink of an eye."

They are known to be enterprising creatures, traveling across rivers on bridges or undetected on vehicles.

Since the disease began to spread among the state's wild animal population last year, the state health department, the Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and local officials have been working on public education campaigns to prevent the disease from spreading to people.

"The last human case [in Connecticut] was in 1932 and we want to keep it that way," Cartter said.

Raccoons may spread rabies to humans not only through direct contact with people, but through other wildlife and domestic

animals.

The disease attacks the central nervous system and can be carried by any mammal. People who are exposed to it must be treated immediately, because if the symptoms of the disease are allowed to appear, the disease is nearly always fatal.

Pet dogs and cats must be vaccinated under state law. They should be kept indoors at night, and on a leash or in a enclosed space if they are outside during the day. If the pet has been in a fight with another animal, the owner should wear gloves when touching it and call a veterinarian immediately.

Experts advise people not to touch, pick up or feed by hand wild animals, no matter how friendly they seem.

Animals behaving strangely should be reported to the Department of Environmental Protection's 24-hour line at 566-3333.

Experts also say if an animal bites, try to catch the animal if it can be done without getting another bite. If the animal is a pet, get the owner's name so that the animal's record can be checked. For help catching an animal, call the police or health department, or the DEP. Seek medical attention immediately